


A healthy dose of sanity

by elladora



Category: Naruto
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anti-shinobi system views, Civilian OC, Culture Shock, Discussion of Abortion, Eventual Romance, F/M, Families of Choice, Family, Female Character of Color, Feminist fugaku, Found Family, Gen, Human Rights, Hurt/Comfort, I Don't Even Know, Implied/Referenced Abortion, Isekai, Konoha is a dystopian hellhole, Konohagakure | Hidden Leaf Village, Politics, SI-OC, Self-Indulgent, Self-Insert, Slice of Life, Social Commentary, Social Justice, Women's Rights, apparently slow burn found family is a thing, civilian, slow burn found family, why is my SI breaking all of Konoha's laws?, yes you read that correctly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-01-08 05:33:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21230624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elladora/pseuds/elladora
Summary: So here was the thing about being reincarnated in a dystopian hellhole. No one could force me to do anything.Or the fic where I become Naruto's substitute mother figure in the face of Konoha's A+ parenting.





	1. Tough times never last but tough people do.

* * *

Being reborn wasn’t as bad as I had imagined it to be. True, I got reincarnated in a dystopian hellhole. Human rights weren’t a thing and entertainment nonexistent. Shockingly enough, it was the last part that bothered me the most. Things could be so boring. Extremely boring. No Netflix, no fanfiction and no watching cute cat videos anymore.

As for the dystopian part? As long as you kept your head down and did nothing too illegal, you were good. Of course, my mother and I failed the second part. Miserably.

* * *

“Did you get the supplies?”

My mother looked up from the sink as I rushed inside the room.

“Is she already here?”

She nodded. I handed her the bag with herbs and walked inside the small dining room. Our unofficial operating room. We didn’t use it as a dining room much. At all. On the floor, a young girl was lying on a cot. I could see a fearful glimpse in her dark eyes. I kneeled down next to her and grabbed her hand.

“Hey, you don’t have to worry about anything. Mum used to be a nurse at the hospital. The shinobi department. She has done this so many times. She knows what she is doing. Okay?”

My voice was soft and soothing. When you did this often enough, you knew the right ways to calm someone down. It was necessary. We didn’t want the shinobi force stumbling on something illegal. A swift death was the best thing you could hope for in that situation. The girl nodded her head. A shaky whimper left her throat.

“What’s your name?”

“Akira.”

“Nice to meet you, Akira. My name is-”

“Sora, you work at the library. I’ve seen you there before.”

Her eyes told the rest of the story. That wasn’t where she knew me from. We were infamous in certain circles. My mum used to work as an ER nurse during the wars. But when the wars ended, they didn’t need civilian nurses anymore. The female ones at least. They needed new soldiers. A new generation. As a young divorced single mother there weren’t a lot of viable options for her, so she turned back to her old profession. Midwifery. But on the side, she became a family doctor for those unable to afford the hospitals. But next to that she also offered female patients some extra services. If they required it. They looked down upon us for offering these services. Yet, they all showed up here. Same old story. Every time.

The creaking of the door interrupted my thoughts. My mother kneeled next to me. A serious look appeared on her face. It was time.

* * *

I scrubbed the blood of my hands.

“You were late today.”

I looked up. My mother's dark eyes glanced curiously at me from across the room.

“It was busy at the store. I wasn’t able to get everything. I have to go back to get the rest when we are done.”

She nodded her head. “Go already. I can finish things around here.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.” She raked her fingers through my hair and tutted. “Your hair is a mess. You should fix it before you leave.”

My mouth curved into a smile and I kissed her on her cheek. “I will buy donburi and maybe something sweet on the way back.”

* * *

Lost in thought I walked back home. Ducking under the ivy curtain of a low-lying footbridge, I took a shortcut through the thinning streets. I glanced at the dingy alley next to me. My heart pounded in my chest and my gut twisted. He couldn’t be possibly doing what I thought he was doing. In the alley, I saw a blonde kid, dressed in too large clothes, playing with what appeared a kunai in his hands. From his clumsy movements, I was sure he wasn’t a clan kiddie.

“Hey kid, what are you doing? Drop that! That is not a toy!”

Clear blue eyes in a chubby whiskered face looked in my direction. The kunai in his hands dropped to the floor. He let a little hiss through his teeth and lifted his hand to his chest.

My body froze. That was Uzumaki Naruto. I fought back the tears in my eyes. A multitude of emotions rushed through me. This surprised me. I had never seen him before, but I didn’t think I would react so intensely. Konoha was not as small as the stories depicted. That had really surprised me as a casual fan. I took a step forward. He looked up. The color drained out of his face. Slowly I inched forward. His expression dulled.

“Hey kid, are you hurt? Do you mind if I look at that?”

I kept my voice soft and gentle. I didn’t want to scare him off. He extended his shaking hand to me and I saw blood droplets on his hand. There was no wound. I softened my face and dropped the grocery bags on the floor. From the pocket of my skirt, I grabbed a tissue and slowly I reached for his hand. In my hand, I felt his small hand tense up. But I deliberately ignored it.

“You are brave, you know. If this was any other kid, they would have been screaming and crying. You are as brave as any ninja in the village I've seen.”

“You really believe that?” his soft voice asked me.

I looked up and nodded. This was not the moment to burst out in tears.

“Yes, sweetheart. I do. Let me tell you a secret. I know a lot of children. I work at the library, you see, and all of those snotty brats would have screamed their way into a meltdown. To be honest, so would the adults.”

His mouth twitched.

“You find that funny, don’t you?”

I grinned, reached for his hand and pressed a kiss on it. An impulsive move. Yet, I didn’t regret it. He honestly looked like he needed it one.

“There, now it is all better.”

I looked up and the smile on my face faded. His eyes were round.

“I hope you didn’t mind that. My kaa-san… She always kissed my pain away.”

Both of them did. I ignored the burning in my throat.

Slowly a beaming smile appeared on his face. I stood up and dusted my skirt.

“Is everything okay, little man? What's your name anyway?”

“Naruto.”

“Well, pleasure to meet you Naruto. I am Sora.”

With steady fingers, I grabbed the kunai and dumped it in the trash can. Afterwards, I plucked my grocery bags from the floor. My face contorted in disgust. There was nothing I could do about the dirt on the bags. Awkwardly I looked around. What do I do now? I couldn’t see them, but it wouldn’t surprise me if anyone was observing us. I didn’t dare to look up and focused on Naruto instead.

“Promise me you will not play with ninja weapons. Unless it is with your teachers.” I cocked my head.

Dazed, he nodded.

“I still have a lot to do. It was nice meeting you. Perhaps we'll see each other again?”

I forced a smile on my face and took a step forward. The loud rumbling of a stomach stopped my movement. I turned around and saw Naruto clasping his rumbling stomach with a flushed face.

“Are you hungry?”

He shook his head. Another sound escaped from his stomach. The flush on his face turned brighter.

“Could you grab the yellow take out box in my blue bag? My hands are full.”

I waved my grocery bags in the air. Slowly he took a few steps closer. His hands froze above the bag.

I bended my knees and leaned sideways. He grabbed it and held it before me.

“What now?”

“You open it and eat it. I hope you like donbori.”

* * *

“No extras?”

My mother put the take out boxes on the table while I grabbed a bottle of juice from the fridge.

“No, I bought extra. But I gave it away. To Uzumaki Naruto.”

A surprised look appeared on her face. I leaned back against the wall.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I thought you didn’t want to involve yourself.”

She didn’t finish her sentence, but I knew what she wanted to say. _I thought you didn’t want to involve yourself with the main characters._ And she was right.

“I don’t. He was all alone playing with a kunai in a dingy backstreet. No one was watching him. It wasn’t safe.”

“Someone was probably monitoring him.” she pointed out.

“I didn’t know it was him.”

“I see. If you say so.”

“Mum, don’t be like that. It was nothing.” I sighed. “I just…”

“How did you feel? This was a big moment for you.”

“Sad.” I answered honestly. “Not because of the past, but because of him. You should have seen him. The way he reacted was heart wrenching. It made it all too real, you know.”

Tears filled my eyes.

“The village doesn’t know how to treat sensitive cases like these.”

In her tone I could hear her alluding to more. I snorted. That was one way to put it. But in a village like this it was smart to not talk openly about ‘sensitive cases’. You never knew who was listening. Probably no one. But the idea that there was someone listening in, kept most silent.

“Did I do the right thing?”

“Honey, I’m glad you helped him. You shouldn’t be afraid to live your life. Don’t let the past hold you back. Also I raised you better than that. I would have been disappointed if you left him alone there.”


	2. If I’m gonna tell a real story, I’m gonna start with my name.

* * *

Well shit. I stared at the book shelf in front of me before I looked at the books in my arms. When my boss asked me to re-shelve a few things for him, I didn’t think I would have to monkey climb myself to the top of the built-in library wall. Gently I put the books on the floor, before I went to look for a stepping ladder. He would so pay for that… Him and his scatterbrained bullshit.

To be honest, I couldn’t really complain much. Working for Kitano had been the best decision I had ever made. He was an eccentric fellow whose main goal in life was to study everything Chakra. And when I say everything, I mean every single thing. It was an obsession. Everything else was inconsequential. So, he needed someone who would help him run the place while being tightlipped about it to his superiors. Ninja’s wouldn’t do, so he hired me. Of course, paying me a bit more under the table. Officially speaking, a civilian wasn’t allowed to handle that type of information…

Kitano gave me a chance when no one else would even think about it. These were difficult times for unmarried women with no significant backgrounds. Having a job was vital. It was that… or settling down Yamato Nadeshiko style with my own army of brats. Foot soldiers for the glorious ‘Will of Fire’ cause. Pawns.

I pushed the ladder to the shelf and started to re-shelve the books. Oh nice! Tobirama Senju’s ‘The Physical Principles of the Sealing’. His books tended to be a bit dry, but he was an absolute genius. Did I fully comprehend what he was talking about? No. Did I have anything interesting to do to pass time? No.

“You’re not allowed to read that.” a haughty voice proclaimed.

Shinobi. My heart pounded in my chest. Civilians weren’t allowed access to this library. Clanless civilians weren’t allowed access to any single library in Konoha. Unless they were male and ‘of good breeding.’ I had my theories about it involving patriarchy, c_lass_ stratification and crony capitalism. Sometimes I wanted to scream about the unfairness of it all, but that would only be a death sentence. For me and my loved ones.

Slowly, I turned around and focused my gaze on his chest. He was wearing a beige flak jacket and had a tanned throat. It was best to not look in their eyes. The ones you didn’t know. Sometimes they tended to be a bit jumpy. Overanalyzing. Accidents happened. And they happened frequently enough. Hushed whispers in the Civilian Districts about incidents involving family members or friends said enough.

“The title didn’t give me sufficient information whether to put it in the sealing section or the introduction section, shinobi-san.” I said slowly. “It is part of the job. Kitano-san will verify this.”

The man didn’t react. An uneasy feeling formed in my gut. Finally, he nodded. And I felt relief. Sweet relief. But the relief turned into irritation when he didn’t move.

“Is that all, shinobi-san?”

“No. Kitano-san wants you to handle to newest delivery.”

I nodded my head and placed the book sideways on the shelf next to me. He grabbed the book and put it in his pocket. Asshole. I wanted to read that.

* * *

With a sigh, I grabbed the box and took a look at the content. Carefully I crossed down the list on the checklist. With interest, I noted that all the books were about Warring States Era clans in Kiri. Hmmm… what was that all about?

“Thank you, shinobi-san. The list is completed.” I said absentmindedly and handed him the list.

“You forget to sign it.”

“I’m not authorized to sign it. Kitano-san is.”

“Yet, you were the one who has handled this delivery.”

A headache started to hammer behind my eyes. But docilly, I grabbed a pen and signed my name at the bottom of the list before handing it to him.

“Himi Tsunade.”

“That’s my official name, yes.” I sighed.

I knew exactly was coming. Same story, every single time.

“Yet, Kitano-san claimed that your name is Himi Sora.”

“My official name is Tsunade, yet in my daily life I’m known as Sora. I can show you my papers. That will make everything clear.”

Slowly I reached in my pocket and grabbed my identification papers and handed it to him. I looked at my scruffy dark shoes while he was observing my papers.

“Why the change in name?”

“There are dozens of Tsunade in the village around my age.”

That wasn’t a lie. There were literally dozens of Tsunade’s in the village. There was _Hyūga_ Tsunade, Ikayaki-girl Tsunade, flat chested Tsunade and the list went on. The same went for Jiraiya, Tobirama, Danzo and every other ninja of slight renown. Many believed it gave luck. So, people using another less common name wasn’t too unusual. I was only glad my mum had filled the paperwork.

However, the frequency of the name wasn’t why I did it. In my previous life, I used to be called Zorah. When my mum found out, she wanted to honor my previous mum. To honor my previous life. There wouldn’t be many opportunities for it. I’m grateful for this every single day. It wasn’t my deadname, but it was close enough.

* * *

“Kitano, you little asshole. Why did you send that rabid dog after me?”

Kitano looked up from his notebook. “Who? What did I do? No one was here.”

And he meant it. He probably blurted out that they should go to me and forget all about them.

I sighed and took a seat before his desk. “Idiot. What are you working on anyway?”

A delighted look appeared on his face, as he explained to me his newest theory on how the chakra usage of an expecting mother would impact the chakra coils of her child later one.

“It’s all just theory at this stage. So, nothing concrete.” he shrugged.

“I think you have something going on there. I can’t believe no one has researched this before.”

“Yes, I would love to focus more time on it. To see if this theory can lead to tangible leads. But there is one thing holding me back?”

“Why does that sound like a question Kitano. That wasn’t a question.”

He looked heavenward. “You know what I’m going to ask you, Sora.”

I leaned forward and raised an eyebrow. “That is going to cost you, you know.”

He huffed out a sigh and stood up. From the top of the cupboard, he grabbed a book. “I even got you a little present and all...”

“Oh, give me it to me, my previous!”

He rolled his eyes and handed it to me. “Sometimes you are a little odd.”

“Really?” I answered, _looking him up_ and _down_ with _raised eyebrows_. Before I focused my attention on the book _‘A Treasury of Benisu-to Fairy and Folk Tales’_. “Oh, you didn’t have to do this!”

“I’m not sure why you enjoy reading about myths and legends. There are plenty of scientific texts in the library for you to pick.”

“Sometimes, I just want to read something lighthearted. Thank you, Kitano.” I sincerely said to him. “You are a true friend.”

“Does that mean you are going to do it?”

“Sure, what is it?”

“As you know the Council has implemented some major changes in the Trade Schools. The Konoha History lessons have been severely changed. A new history book has been the focal point of this. The Council would like to know if this has affected the students.”

I ignored the bad feeling in my gut. “The Council wishes to know if more civilians have decided to switch over to the Academy. Just to make things clear for me.”

Kitano looked up bemused. “Yes, why else would they waste money?”

* * *

“I’m home!” I closed the door behind me and kicked out of my shoes. While putting my hair in a bun, I walked into the living room. Surprised, I saw two Uchiha officials stoically drinking tea. They briefly nodded at me before they focused their attention on the other side of the room. I turned around and saw my mother in deep conversation with Fugaku Uchiha. My mother's dark eyes glanced at me from across the room.

“Busy day at work. Sorry, I’m late.” was all I said before I joined them.

My heart started to pound and I looked at the floor. What did he want?

“Uchiha-sama was telling me about an incident at District 33.”

The Red-light district.

“You need my help with that?” I carefully asked her.

“No, you can finish up dinner. I already started it. It’s nothing difficult to handle.”

Fugaka smiled at me and nodded. “I will accompany your mother, Sora-chan. No need to worry.”

I sighed in relief. So, no lastminute abortions. “Thank you, Uchiha-sama.”

I stood up and walked into the kitchen. A chuckle escaped from my throat while I stirred the pan. Who would have thought the Uchiha clan head secretly was a feminist? I wouldn’t in my previous life. It was impossible to run any illegal operations in the Districts without the Uchiha police force noticing it. Honestly, most of us clients were referred to us by them.

In my previous life, I never liked him much. But he was undeniable popular with the blue collar workers of Konoha. I would miss them. I bit on my lip and tried to think about something else. There was nothing I could do anyway.

* * *

**Most of you probably didn't think I would update this again. Surprise! Someone left a review a while back about how they were glad to find it after their old link didnt work. And I was honestly surprised. I wasn't aware someone liked it that much. So that kinda inspired me to write this chapter. What do you guys think of the chapter? No baby Naruto unfortunately... But we are seeing a bit more about Sora's life. I hope you guys didn't find it too boring. Hopefully he will be in it the next chapter. Who knows? I don't. LOL**


	3. Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.

The putrid stench of body odor, herbs and unwashed animals reached my nostrils. It was absolutely fucking disgusting, but I loved it. It was the smell of opportunities. Today the Hikone market took place, or Trade Day as we locals called it. Trade Day happened once every two years and in theory it gave foreign merchants access to the citizens of Konoha in order to ‘facilitate peace and understanding amongst each other through commercialism’. In practice, it was that and a bunch of international spies doing whatever international spies do. I honestly didn’t want to know.

I only had one purpose: to spent money. For almost two years, I’ve saved a significant amount of my salary to spend it all today. On Trade Day you could literally get anything you wanted. And I meant everything. Some of it was plain illegal even. But if you were rich enough to bribe the officials, nothing was illegal. From the most exotic animals, artisan goods and foreign innovations. Personally, I didn’t wake up at 4 o’clock in the morning for that. I was here for one thing only. Herbs and spices.

“Sora, isn’t this cute?”

My mother shoved a baby blue kimono in my face. It was made from pure silk and had hand-painted vibrant floral details all over it. It was beautiful and expensive. I didn’t need to look at the price tag to know that.

“When am I supposed to wear that?” I asked confused.

Her face brightened. “At formal occasions. Like a wedding. You always claim you have nothing to wear and don’t show up. You would look amazing in this. Try it on.”

“I’m not going to waste my hard-earned money on some strangers.” I snorted. “Besides, we are here for a reason. Glorious food.”

Her face changed. Guilt started to flood me as I realized, I had brought all that dreadful sadness to her face. I put my arm in her arm and smiled at her. “You know how busy it gets at the stalls. Let’s get the stuff on our list and afterwards we can indulge ourselves. I was able to save a lot, because of my promotion last year.”

“You don’t have to, if you don’t want to. I know you see it as frivolous.”

“Kaa-san, it isn’t that.” I shook my head. “We just never had the money for it. But now we do. And honestly, we deserve nice things. When was the last time you bought something for yourself?”

A fond look appeared on her face. “You remind me of my father. He was like you. Resourceful and practical. I'm not very good with money.” she admitted. “If I was in control of the money, we wouldn’t even own our own house. But here we are saving up for a second house.”

I pulled her closer to me and whispered in her ear. “Well to be fair, if grandpa was still alive, we wouldn’t differ that much in age.”

She laughed.

I lifted my eyebrow. “With age comes wisdom and all that jazz.”

Real estate was a great investment option. Not only would it allow us to generate passive money, it could help us begin building wealth. And seeing we were still able to do so, before we probably got priced out in a decade or two, I took the opportunity with both hands.

* * *

  
  
My feet were killing me. We made six trips to our home with bags of groceries, fabrics and other goodies. My wallet was a tenth the size it was before, but I was content. We scored some amazing deals that would benefit us on the long term. Right now, we were strolling down the market to find a place to eat. Eerie music and the sounds of laughter floated on the breeze out of a tent next to us. Smoke surrounded us.

“What are you in the mood for?”

"Ah," my mother grinned. "Honestly, I was looking for that Suna place we frequented a couple years ago.”

My stomach started to grumble. “The one with those delicious kebabs and the spiced lamb? You think they are here? I really want that!”

She laughed. “I hope so.”

I nodded my head in agreement. We took a turn and arrived at the food section of the market.

“So, what were you trying to tell me at the jewelry stall before you saw those shinobi’s walking by?”

She pulled a bit closer. “I heard the most interesting titbit about Hyūga Haruhi the other day. At the Okiya. One of the branch members had too much of a drink.”

“The wife of the clan head? That Haruhi?”

She nodded, before she leaned over. I felt her breath on my cheek. “Well, they were blessed with another bundle of joy. A girl. The third one. But unfortunately… she lost it.”

My eyes widened. Was my mother implying what I thought she was implying? She caught the look on my face and pressed her lips together.

“Are you sure?”

My voice sounded weak in my ears.

“Yes, Fugaka-sama confirmed it.” she answered solemnly. “The poor thing. She was devastated. Still is. It has turned into a marital spat.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “What reason does he get to be angry for? He isn’t the one- “

My mother gave me a grave look. “Because of her failure.”

“Her failure? You mean his failure? Men determine the sex of the child. If someone is at blame, he is. Not her. Fucking men and their obsession with male progeny.”

“Men like that are weak-minded to the pressures of their clan.”

I felt furious. Toxic masculinity at it finest. “What about the branch member?” I hissed.

Did they kill him?

“What about him? He was drunk and the news would have leaked out anyway. People will keep quiet about the source.”

I raised my eyebrows. “He probably wanted to express some subtle discontent. I can’t blame him.”

“Could be. You never know with the Hyūga clan. Would you look at that!” she pointed at the stall right on the corner.

The familiar purple banner crossed my sight. They were here! My stomach grumbled, while we rushed down and took a seat at one of the tables right before the stall.

“Two of everything, please.” I jabbed two fingers in the sky.

“How are we supposed to eat all of that?” my mother asked, as she opened her fan and waved it before her face.

I leaned forward and she waved it my direction. The cool air washed over my face. I put my hair in a bun, as the heat scorched the air. The massive grill was placed a few feet behind me. But the heat was worth it. A middle-aged man, with sun kissed skin and an opaque eye, put a bottle of Amazake and two glasses on our table. I inspected the cups for dirt before filling them.

“I really needed that.” I said after gulping down a swallow. I coughed a bit.

“Slow down, Sora.”

“I was thirsty!

Soon enough the waiter brought a huge tray of kebabs, lamb and beef cuts, sausages and fresh chicken. A teenager followed him with a smaller tray filled with small dishes of vegetables and colorful sauces placed around a basket of bread.

I looked up from the feast that was spread out on the table and smiled at my mother. Behind her I caught a flash of distinct blond hair. I blinked and took a better look. Lurking in the distant, Naruto was staring at us from behind a trashcan.

“What are you looking at?” My mother turned around.

“Is that-"

“Yes.” I answered unable to pull my gaze from him.

His eyes looked sad and cautious. And they were staring right at me. I smiled and raised a hand in greeting. Naruto glanced behind him, before focusing on me again. After a moment of no reaction, he hesitantly waved back.

I grinned, as he inched forward.

“Invite him to eat with us.”

I glanced at my mother. The corner of her mouth quirked up.

“You sure?”

She nodded. “Why not? Let them talk.”

I focused my eyes on Naruto and boldly, I crooked my finger for him to ‘come over here’.

For a second, he huddled in his corner before he inched towards us.

He glanced at the floor and plucked at the cuff of his blue shirt. “Am I in trouble?”

“Of course not.” I reassured him. “We ordered a lot of food. Too much for us to eat. Join us.”

He looked up. His expression was hopeful and wary. I stood up and grabbed an empty seat two tables away.

“Sit. Is there anything you would prefer to eat?”

He shook his head. “I’m not really hungry.” he mumbled.

“You are skin and bones.” my mother tutted, as she leaned forward. She grabbed an empty paper plate and filled it up with a variety of meat. She placed the plate before him. “Eat.”

Hesitantly, he took a bite as we filled up our own plates. My mother and I started to chitchat, but we couldn’t help focusing on Naruto. He kept shooting us cautious glances, as if he was afraid, we would throw him out any moment. My heart broke into a million pieces on the inside, but I didn't want to freak Naruto out so I contained my tears.

The waiter arrived at our table with an empty glass in his hand. “It’s rare to see coloring like this in Konoha?” he said thoughtful. “What is your name, little man?”

“My little brother’s name is none of your business.” I smiled politely.

“Brother?” the waiter looked skeptically. “You look nothing alike.”

“He looks like my grandmother, not that it is any of your concern.”

Naruto stiffened up next to me, but I kept my eyes focused on the waiter. What did he want with Naruto? Did he know who he was? Was he sent to kill him? They wouldn’t, right? It would be too obvious. He wouldn’t survive. But then again, he didn’t need to survive. Was he even from Suna? Or was he from somewhere else? Did they want to frame Suna for the murder? Or was my anxiety playing tricks with my mind? Maybe he was just being polite?

My face started to hurt, but I kept smiling. The waiter tried to hand me the glass.

“No need for that.” my mother said. “He can share with us. But thank you anyway.”

He nodded his head and left. I glanced at Naruto, who was looking intensively at his plate. What was going on his little head? “It’s good, right?”

“It’s not as good as ramen, but it comes close.”

“Not many things are.”

His eyes lightened up. “You like ramen?”

“Who doesn’t? What’s your favorite?”

* * *

I didn’t know it was possible have a whole conversation about ramen, but I honestly wasn’t surprised Naruto was capable of it. He was obsessed with it. We stood up and I stretched my arms in the air.

“I don’t think I’ve ever eaten so much.”

“I don’t think any of us have.” my mother answered, as she filled the paper containers with the remaining pieces of meat.

From my purse, I grabbed two paper bags and filled them up. Naruto handed me the last container from the table. “Thank you, darling. Here.” I handed him the smaller bag. “For you.”

He nodded his head gratefully and tried to walk away. I grabbed his other hand. Large blue eyes looked up. “It’s late. You shouldn’t walk home alone.”

“Where is your guardian?” my mother asked, as she locked her arm in my arm.

“I only see her twice a week.”

My mother and I exchanged looks with each other.

“Do you live at the orphanage?” I asked carefully. Dread settled deep in my stomach. Surely, he was too young to live alone already.

He swinged our hands back and forth. “No, I have my own apartment. It’s real cool.” he said, before describing his apartment in details to us.

I tightened the grip on his hand as we left the market. After a couple minutes of walking, we entered the main street.

“Why did you do that?” he finally asked me softly.

“Why did I do what?”

Naruto now had an anxious look on his face. “Call me your brother.”

I stopped and kneeled down. “Well honey, you want to become a ninja, right?”

He nodded.

“While most people are good, there are some people who are not. And they want to hurt small children like you. Especially the ones who want to become ninja.”  
Smooth, Sora. Real smooth. Naruto looked confused.

“What my daughter is trying to say is that is that sometimes you don’t know who you can and cannot trust. They might want to hurt you or the people around you. So, it is better to be cautious with strangers. Especially foreign ones. They could be infiltrators. So, Sora lied.”

He gave us an understanding look and nodded. I brushed a hand through his hair and stood up.

“Are we close?” I asked curious. This was main street after all. It would be too expensive for him to live in this area. Only ninja and rich merchants could afford it.

“No, I’m meeting up with Jiji right there.” he pointed across the street.

My heart skipped a beat. As I saw the hokage staring at us with an unreadable look on his face. I felt a pinch on my arm and I turned around.

“Bow.” my mother hissed as she rose from her bowing position.

Quickly, I followed her example while Naruto ran down the street. His hands flew through the air in wild gestures with every word he spoke to the hokage. Several times he pointed in our direction. There was a light feeling in my head, as my heart seemed to have lost its rhythm. Thankfully enough, the hokage didn’t look in our direction anymore. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t keeping an eye on us. Naruto looked into our direction one last time, before he left with the hokage.

Well fuck me…

* * *

**So surprise. I updated...**

**I bet you guys didn't see that one coming.**

**To make one thing clear. The mother of Hinata had to undergo an forced abortion. ** **I mean you might think it is hypocritical, because of the services they provide to the women of Konoha. But there is a difference between giving people options and forced abortions. I think most of us would agree.**

**Quick poll for fun: If you lived in the Naruto world, which clan would you like to belong to?**

**Like most of you would guess I wouldn't want to be a **Hyūga. Maybe a Nara or an Akimichi? They seem kinda chill, and don't have way too crazy powers. What about you guys?****


	4. What consumes your mind controls your life

I transferred the cooked chicken to a plate and quickly broke it down in pieces with the help of chopsticks. Afterwards I focused my attention on the pot. The tantalizing smell of the mixture of herbs, onions and parsley caught my attention.

Feeling of nostalgia engulfed me, as I remembered the times, I was slaving in the kitchen to cook it for my family. Just because my siblings had kindly asked me to make it. According to them, I was better at preparing it than my parents. Professional level good. I blinked the moisture away, not expecting little tears to course down one cheek. Quickly I wiped them away and decided to focus on a happier place. Reminiscing about the past wouldn’t help anyone.

Morocco's famous chicken pie Chicken Bastilla took a couple of hours to make, but it was absolutely worth it. My stomach started to grumble. Obviously, it wasn’t like the real thing as I couldn’t get all the necessary ingredients. But it was the closest piece I had to home. And it kept me focused on other things than the mess in my mind.

From the fridge, I grabbed a couple of eggs and scrambled it in the mixture until the liquids had evaporated and an egg-onion stuffing was left. I set the stuffing aside so that the remainder juice could drain out before I mixed it with the chicken. In the mean time I would prepare the almonds. First, I needed to boil the almonds in a water, before I could blanch them. I sighed. I never liked this part.

Behind me I heard light footsteps coming closer. Definitely not my mother or one of my aunties.

“Sora-chan.” I heard a familiar voice greet me.

I turned around and saw Fugaku Uchiha leaning against the counter. The corners of his mouth turned up. “Are you making your famous chicken dish?”

My mouth twitched. “Yes. It will be done in an hour or so. I will put a small pie aside for you. Don’t tell the others at the police force, otherwise you will have to share.”

His eyes glinted. “That is kind of you.”

I turned around and drained the almonds in a strainer. Afterwards, I rinsed them with cold water to cool them down and set them aside.

“Are you looking for my mother? She isn’t here at the moment. But she will be back soon. Would you like a cup of tea in the mean time?”

“That would be lovely. Thank you.”

Fugaku took a seat at the table. Hurriedly, I prepared tea and decorated our fine china with leaf-shaped cake filled with sweetened bean paste and cookies. The tray was a bit empty. So, I decided to cut small pieces of the cheesecake I had made this morning. If he didn’t like it, I would eat it. And I added some fruits.

* * *

Fugaku took a sip of his tea and observed me. He hadn’t said a word yet.

I glanced at the clock hanging on the clock, before staring at him. Again.

“I apologize. I’m sure she will be here soon.”

“I’m not here to your mother. I’m here to see you.”

The color drained from my face. “Did something happen?”

He put his cup on the table. “No, everything is fine. Your mother and I had a little talk about you. About your concerns regarding Uzumaki-san.”

I could not believe she would involve him into this. They might be friends, even if she denied it. But he was still an active member of our military. One of the upper echelons even.

Since my last meeting with Naruto a week ago, I had been an anxious mess. Every little sound startled me. It was absolutely ridiculous. It wasn’t like ANBU would just forcefully abduct me from my home because I was nice to Naruto. They wouldn’t. They had bigger priorities.

They wouldn’t do that, right?

Rationally speaking, I wanted to say no. But we weren’t dealing with rational people but tribal military killers. I didn’t know what they saw as a threat.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. “Sora-chan.”

I looked up. “Did you say something?”

“There is nothing you need to worry about. People don’t get punished for being kind to others. It is even encouraged. There is no need to worry about future interactions with him.”

“Encouraged, how?”

Were they following me? Oh my god, I was right! They were. I felt a hollow nauseous feeling in my stomach.

“Am I being watched?” I asked softly.

I knew it wasn’t the smartest course of action to take. He was still a shinobi and civilians shouldn’t involve themselves in their business. Even if they liked you. However, if I didn’t even try to ask about it. It would haunt me. For life. I wouldn’t feel safe.

I wasn’t worried about me. But my mother. I had died once already. Let them kill me if they want to. As long as they made it quick. I didn’t want to suffer. Again.

His face turned blank.

“Because if that is the case, we can’t help women- ”

He threaded a hand through his hair. “No, they only requested your file. There is nothing too damaging in it.”

I wasn’t surprised by this confession. This was known all along. The shinobi run a tight ship. They had files on everyone. They recorded medical histories, opinions, social contacts and any contact with foreigners. Especially the last part. Nothing was allowed to leak out. And the Uchiha were the one who collected most of the intel on the civilian populations. They knew everything. The Stasi had nothing on them.

But they had nothing on the digital Stasi I used to have in my pocket.

When you were aware of this little fact, you knew how to behave in order to not be seen as irregular. You just needed to keep your head down and keep quiet. History had taught me well enough. But it was a different thing if they watched you closely. Like everyone I lived in a glass house, and if you took a better look the cracks were easy to find. Fortunately, the Uchiha Police Force liked us enough to not closely look into us.

I bowed my head. “Thank you.”

I felt an all too familiar lump _**i**_n my throat. We owed them much. So much.

A wry look appeared on his face. “Will you not worry your mother anymore?”

“Yes, I feel assured.” I said carefully.

He stood up. “Remember what happens, happens. Just be yourself. And everything will be fine. I promise you.”

I nodded and thanked him again.

After he left, I leaned back into my chair and sighed. I wasn’t reassured at all. The Hokage wanted me around Naruto? This little fact terrified me even more.

**I’m not really satisfied with this chapter. Also, I wanted to add more to it. But honestly, I couldn’t. Something in me was like this is what you need to write nothing more. So, see it as a transition chapter to…. something. Not sure what yet.**

**I'm surprised by Fugaku here. He is making himself a character of my fic, but I hadn't planned that. The guy is literally forcing himself into each chapter.**

**Seeing people liked the poll during the last chapter: If you could dump famous figure (historical or modern) into Naruto and follow their life, who would you pick? And why?**

**This is a real tough one for me. And honestly I don’t even know the answer to it. I’m letting you guys pick. There are so many interesting people. I’d probably not go for a celeb, but someone who would make a big impact somehow.**


	5. Embrace the glorious mess that you are.

There had been a great many things I had expected to learn in my new life, but how to amputate a hand had not been one of them. The workman had waited too long with alerting a medic of his infection. He didn’t have any papers, as he was illegitimate, so he couldn’t go to the state hospital. And he earned too little to do it off the books.

When he fainted on the job, one of the workers went to get us. His entire hand, from the wrist down, was gone. Completely gone. There was nothing we could do. The medical nins could have easily saved his hand, but he would be kicked out of Konoha if he approached them.

As for my mother? This was the only thing she could do to save his life.

I was devastated. Completely devastated. I fucking hated this city and its fucked-up rules. I sobbed and let the bloodstained rag drop on the floor. My knees felt weak and I pressed my body against the wall for some support. Trembling, I fell to my knees. The tears dropped across my cheeks. Was this how my life was going to be? Watching innocents, and more innocents, suffer because of stupid shit like this?

My shoulders started to shake. I tried to squeeze my eyes to hold back my tears, but it didn’t work. I slammed my fist on the ground and cried even harder.

The door opened and I saw my mother walk into the room. Her face was drained of color and her shoulders hang low. I tried to stand up, but she shook her head.

“You should go home.” she said tiredly.

“I can’t leave you.”

“Sora, I shouldn’t have allowed you to come. I’m used to it. During the war, we… Please leave, Sora. You have seen too much. Get some rest. You haven’t slept since yesterday. You have to wake up early for work tomorrow.”

“I...”

Her eyes were wet. “Please. Do it for me. I can handle it on my own. Another medic will be here soon to help me out.”

I nodded and stared at my lap. “Okay, but let me finish up cleaning this up.”

“I can…”

“Kaa-san, please.” My voice sounded weak to my ears. “I need to do this. Please sit down before you collapse. Afterwards, I’ll leave. I promise”

She collapsed on the chair and mumbled something to herself.

I grabbed the rag and started to wipe the large bloodstain on the table.

* * *

With a numb feeling, I walked down main street on my way back home. I needed to visit one of the stalls to grab some dinner for tonight. No one would be in the mood to cook today. Stumbling through the groups of people, I took the left turn into one of the side streets. People were chatting among the many stalls, but I walked past them to go to Oyakodon. The Donburi stall we visited when we wanted to eat out.

Their food might be simple. But it was filling and cheap. And it was all I could afford at the moment. My earnings didn’t allow me to engage in a lot of perks. Sure, I could spend it all if I wanted to. But that would be the most stupid ass decision I could make. Konoha didn’t offer a large social safety net. If you didn’t have any money, you would be on your own. Wasting all of my money on eating out would be stupid. I needed stability in my life. I needed to think about the future.

With a sigh, I stumbled inside the stall. Behind the counter, I saw Sakura-obasan talking to one of her customers. A young man dressed into a stained blacksmith apron. He wore his long dark hair in a messy bun.

The smile disappeared from her face.

“Sora-chan, you look like shit. Sit down, before you collapse.”

I took a seat. “Nice seeing you too.”

“You want to talk about it?”

“About what?”

She looked up and down.

“No, I’d rather not.”

“Where is Azami? I haven’t seen her in ages.”

“Kaa-san is still working.”

“Still at the docks? I had heard about that. Terrible business. So, what can I do for you?”

“Something we can easily warm up for tonight?”

“Hmmm… I just have the thing for you. It will take a few minutes. Do you mind? In the meantime, you could talk to Hintaro here. He was telling me all about how difficult it is to find a good wife nowadays.” she winked.

I frowned and glanced at Hintaro. An embarrassed flush appeared on his cheeks.

“I didn’t say that.”

“Oi, don’t embarrass the boy!”

She cackled and slapped her hands on her knees.

“You’ll quickly get used to her antics. She is a troublemaker at heart.”

“If I don’t get used to it in the last 5 years, I will not get used to it now. She just loves to embarrass me. If only her food wasn’t that good.”

“Yeah.”

“He flushes so nicely. If only I was 10 years younger…”

“Ten? You mean thirty years!”

“Whatcha trying to say?”

I chuckled as they started to bicker and exhaustedly leaned my head on the counter.

The sound of something sliding towards me made me look up. A bowl with broth and some kind of meat in it.

“I had this laying around. Tonjiro, but with chicken instead.”

“I never heard of that before.” I heard Hintaro squeak next to me. “It that a thing?”

“Well, now you do. For some reason, this one doesn’t eat pork.”

“I can’t accept this.”

I couldn’t afford it. I didn’t have enough money with me to afford this and diner.

“Nonsense, it is on the house. You look like a mess. I still have some kindness left in me. But the next time you will pay, you hear me. My mother didn’t raise no fool.”

Touched, I stared grateful at Sakura-obasan. “Thank you.” was all I could say.

The people of Konoha were still good. I really needed this right now. To remind me that people were still good, even if the system was a disaster.

I took a quick bite and savored it. My stomach started to grumble and I quickly took another bite.

“Wait. Hold up. How do you mean you don’t eat pork?”

Hintaro leaned forward and stared at me.

“I just don’t.” I shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. Lots of people don’t.”

For religious and cultural reasons, I didn’t in my previous life. And I upheld the tradition in this one. Old habits die hard.

“No Tonkatsu?”

“No.”

“No Butadon?”

“No.” I shook my head.

“No Buta-maki.”

I rested my hands on the counter. “No. No Kakuni, no Chasu or anything else with pork in it. Nothing. Nada. Are you done asking?”

Hintaro looked more and more appealed by my answers.

I chuckled.

“No pork ramen?” I heard a soft child voice ask.

I looked down and saw shockingly blonde hair. Naruto was staring at me with an incredulous look in his blue eyes.

My heart started to beat faster, but I forced myself to stay calm. It wasn’t his fault that there were outside forces involved in trying to get him to bond to the village. And the people in it.

“Not at all, Naruto-kun. When did you appear?”

He looked at his shoes, before he looked up. His eyes were big. “I was on my way home, when I saw you sitting here.” he mumbled. “I overheard you. I wasn’t following you.”

I cocked my head. “I didn’t think you were?”

A bright smile appeared on his face.

“Do you want a...”

“Get out!”

I jerked my head in the direction of Sakura-obasan. A furious look appeared on her face. She glared at Naruto and held a ladle above her head.

Naruto took a step backwards.

“What are you doing?” I stood up. “Put that down. Are you crazy!”

“Sora-chan, sit down. No need to be frightened anymore. He will leave. Now.”

Hintaro grabbed me by my arm and pushed me inside.

Naruto took one heartbreaking look at me, before he run away.

“Are you okay, Sora-san?” I heard Hintaro ask me gently. “You must be scared.”

I pulled my arm from his grip and stared at them in shock. “Why did you do that?”

“You know what he…”

“That is not a good reason, Sakura! Ever. He is just a boy. Why?”

Hintaro looked worried. “Do you think he has her under his spell? They are cunning tricksters…”

“Are you that ignorant?” I spit out. “I can’t believe this. We don’t live in the countryside. I expected more from you than believing in stupid folklore tales like that.”

Sakura-obasan stared at me. “The boy is possessed by greater forces than us. He will only bring you illness and will be a curse on your family. Heed my warning, as your elder. Don’t be foolish.”

I glared at the both of them. “I will take my chances on that. This is the last I will visit your establishment. I don’t affiliate myself bigots. Goodbye.”

I stormed outside and took the corner to the left. I looked around me. Where was that boy? Before me there were two paths I could take. Left or right.

“He went left.” I heard a voice saying behind me.

I turned around and a woman with warm brown eyes and purple hair in a bun was observing me. Ninja. The way she held herself gave it straight away. She seemed familiar to me, but I couldn’t place her face.

“You saw that.”

“That was a kind thing you did. Standing up for him.”

“I’m not that kind.”

She drew closer and pushed a stray hair behind her ear. A faint smile appeared on her face. “If you say so, let me help you. You will not be able to track the boy. An archivist wouldn’t have that skillset.”

She started to walk.

“And a kenjutsu expert would?”

She cocked her head. “How did you?”

I rolled my eyes. Ninja’s.

“The callouses on your hand when you pushed your hair back. I thought we were stating the obvious.”

She appraised me frankly for a moment, then nodded in approval. We walked into a backstreet.

“Why are you helping me anyway?”

“You are intriguing.”

“For a civilian.” I deadpanned.

“That is not what I said.”

“If you say so.” I repeated to her and shrugged. “How long will it take?”

“He is hiding in the alley right before us.” She mentioned, as she stopped before the entrance.

I followed her lead and looked inside. Naruto was sitting on the ground. Tears were running down his face. My heart ached.

The mysterious kunoichi smiled at me. “See you soon.”

“Do we have plans to meet up?” I asked cautiously.

“No, but this is a small village. We will stumble into each other at a certain point.”

My eyebrows went up. “On purpose.”

“Maybe. But highly unlikely. I wouldn’t mind getting to know you better. It is refreshing to find someone who values being honest above mindless intrigue.”

I rubbed my temples. I was too tired to deal with this. “What’s your name anyway?”

“Yūgao.” she answered, before she disappeared.

Uzuki Yūgao. No wonder she seemed familiar to me. A minor character in the show who was a member of ANBU. One of the few truly kickass female characters who Kishi didn’t ruin. Probably because she didn’t have enough screen presence.

Wasn’t she a member of Kakashi’s team? And most importantly what did she want from me?

Fuck it. At this stage, I didn’t give a damn about it. I had bigger issues. First, Naruto. Second, sleep.

I squared my shoulders and walked into the alley. “Naruto.” I called out. “We should stop meeting like this?

He looked up and leaned against the wall. I winced. Did he have to lean into that germ-invested wall.

“I’m sorry.” He cried out. “I didn’t mean to!”

I stopped right before him and kneeled down. “Why are you sorry? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

He looked up. His eyes were wet. “You mean that?”

I wiped the tears from his face with the back of my hand. His eyes were following this movement. “Of course, those people aren’t worthy of you. If someone treats you bad, just remember there is nothing wrong with you. There is something wrong with them. You don’t owe them anything. You don’t owe them your kindness. You don’t owe them compassion. Nothing. You are such a sweet boy. Don’t let them get to you.”

“But why are they mean to me?”

His voice trembled with emotion.

I sighed and looked down. “I don’t know, sweetie. I don’t know.”

And I honestly didn’t know.

Naruto looked miserable. Slowly I put my arm around him. When he didn’t push me away, I embraced hem. His body became tense, before he relaxed and leaned into my embrace. Has he ever been hugged before? I held him tighter.

“Are you feeling better?” I whispered into his hair.

He nodded.

“Want me to take you home?”

He looked up worried. “You should go to bed. You look tired.”

“I am. But that doesn’t mean I can’t walk you home.”

He leaned back and I pulled my arms away. Both of us stood up. I wiped the dirt on his knees away and I held my hand out.

He stared at it, before he run towards the entrance of the alley.

“Go to bed. I’ll walk myself home.” he yelled, before he disappeared.

What a peculiar kid. I shook my head in amusement and walked towards the entrance. I could finally go to bed. My bed was calling me.

Fuck, I forgot I still had to cook.

* * *

**Yes, I updated again. I shocked myself too. Don’t get too used to it. **

**So, what did you think of this? I really do love making Sora suffer. The poor girl. **

**Seeing people liked the poll during the last chapter: What habits/customs could you not let go if you got reincarnated into the Naruto world? **

**Like Sora wouldn’t eat pork, because of previous convictions. But it could also be something smaller. Like taking a walk in nature at least once a week. Eating pasta’s on Friday. I don’t know. Curious what you guys would say.**

**For me personally, it would be the pork thing. But also cooking dishes from our world. I couldn’t let those go. I would just claim I made them up or something.**


	6. It’s okay to not be okay as long as you are not giving up.

I threw my pen on my desk and sighed in frustration. There had been a 38 percent increase in Academy applications since the implementation of the revised history book at the Trade schools. It made me sick how effective it was.

But I couldn´t blame the students. I was used to persuasive material. It had surrounded me everywhere I went. The core message was different, but the concept itself wasn´t. But in Konoha, where information was limited and critical thinking skills were not actively taught, it was a powerful tool to reach and influence citizens.

The message itself was brilliant. I had to give them that. By highlighting Konoha’s heroes’s the Council sought to rally the fighting spirit of the students. On a subconscious level, they wanted to compel the students to action by challenging any resistance as unpatriotic and even sympathetic to the enemy. The enemy being everyone else.

The second message was to highlight the prestige and wealth of shinobi. If patriotism didn´t convince them, wealth would. A single C rank mission was about half of the average yearly salary. Konoha paid their shinobi´s well. And that was extremely luring. Even I considered becoming one for a brief second. But I wasn´t guaranteed the life of a paper nin, so I didn´t dare to risk it. Like I said they were effective.

However, what they didn’t mention was the high percentage of shinobi’s of civilian heritage that would be maimed, disabled, or mentally scarred for life. The lucky ones would become the jealous and bitter career genin or chunin. Not that most of them saw it as fortunate. 

I massaged the back of my neck and took a sip of my tea. Afterward, I grabbed my pen again. After a final review, I stood up and walked towards Kitano´s office. I knocked on the door and opened it. Kitano was standing behind his desk with a big stack of documents in his hand. A pen was tucked behind his ear.

“I’m done.” I drawled out and sat down on the teal-colored sofa right before his desk.

He dropped the stack of documents on his desk and I handed him my research analysis. With a concentrated look on his face, he read. Bored I looked around. My gaze lingered on his desk. I shifted my head and tried to take a look at one of the papers on his desk.

He put his hand on the paper. “That’s classified.”

“So was the paper you made me write, yet I still wrote it for you.”

He gave me a look. “And you’ve been compensated for that.”

“I’m just curious. That’s all, Kitano.”

And I didn’t press further on the subject. Kitano never really abided to the rules, so if he didn’t want me to read something

I definitely didn’t want to do that. I was curious, not stupid.

“Why is there such a large divide between social classes and recruitment?” He pointed at a graph on the third page.

I leaned forward. “Ah that, I explain more about that on page 5. But basically, the middle segmentation of Konoha is more likely to join up, while the bottom and top ends of the economic spectrum are underrepresented. There is not enough data to explain this. However, I believe that because it is an economic divide, the reason is also most likely economical.”

“You would think the lower classes would sign up more?” he mentioned derisively.

“That is not what that says. The data this is based on focuses on how many people succeeded to get into the academy. Not how many people tried and failed to get in.”

“Interesting.” he nodded. “This is good. The Council will be pleased.”

“It took me almost three weeks to finish it up, so they should be.”

He leaned backward and gave me a deep, scrutinizing look. “This reminds me. This week we will have some special visitors.”

I blinked in surprise. “Oh, will they be here for long?”

“No, it will be short term. And unexpected.”

He gave me a look that conveyed the rest of the message. I would need to keep to my official tasks instead of the additional responsibilities he gave me.

“I understand.” I inclined my head.

There was no way in hell that I wanted to be involved with that.

* * *

After work, I made my way to the timber yard. One of the workmen pointed me in the right direction and with an anxious feeling in my stomach, I walked into the small room they converted into a hospital room. My mother was tending to the wrist of Hibari-san and glanced in my direction

“I didn’t expect to see you here today.” she said surprised.

I stared at the stain on the floor before looking at her. “I thought you needed my help.”

I had been there when he had been amputated. I was helping out in the background. Handing towels, supplies, and everything else my mother needed. But there was a reason I didn’t follow in her footsteps. I didn’t have it in me. In my past life, I had grand dreams of becoming a doctor. But those dreams shattered to pieces when I realized that the sight of a lot of blood and wounds in a real-life setting made me freeze.

Slowly and slowly, I was able to get a grip on it. But I couldn’t stay calm and collected in urgent situations like these. And in Konoha, that was a must. A shame though, good medics were always needed.

Her eyes grew soft before she focused her attention on Hibari-san. “I can handle it on my own. I’m almost finished. You can wait in the mess hall. It is right across the hall.”

Hibari-san moaned and muttered something in his breath. She gave him a sympathetic look.

* * *

Groups of men were chattering around and eating their dinner. Some of them looked suspiciously in my direction. I ignored them and seated myself at an empty table. From my black leather bag, I grabbed my notebook and pen. 

Where was I again? I quickly reread the last paragraph. Yes, my version of Alice just fell down the rabbit hole and into the summons dimension. 

“Who is that?” I heard a loud man ask. “This is no place for a woman.”

I looked up and saw two men staring at me suspiciously. I quickly looked down and watched them from underneath my lashes.

The larger one scratched his nose, while the lanky one took a good look at me. 

“That is Himi’s daughter. The medic.” 

The larger one looked surprised. “The one working on that poor bastard hand?”

“Yeah.” the lanky one answered. “She isn't much of a looker like her mother, but I suppose they can't all be pretty.”

The larger one laughed hard in reaction.

I rolled my eyes. Men. Not like they were much to look at anyway. 

Once again I focused my attention on my notebook and started writing. Like in all the fanfictions I used to read, I had decided to write books as a get-rich-quick scheme. I chuckled as I remembered how naive I was. After publishing a couple of books, I realized the books I wrote were not going to make me filthy rich.

Matter of fact, I was an unknown author in Konoha. I’m not even sure I sold a single book here. But for some bizarre reason, my books were a hit in Kumo and Iron. 

Also, liberal enclaves in the big cities seemed to enjoy my books, so my publisher didn’t drop me. However, due to complex regulations regarding custom duties and taxes, I would not become wealthy anytime soon. 

So nowadays I just wrote whatever I wanted. Whenever I wanted. I didn’t give a damn about genre or target audience. It drove my publisher mad, but as long as my books sold they didn’t have anything to complain about. 

And to be honest it isn’t like I had anything else to do in my free time. I would write anyway. I might as well earn some money with it. 

* * *

After a while, I felt a presence behind me. I turned around.

My mother looked kindly at me “Are you done?”

“Yes, let me quickly finish this sentence.” I muttered.

I grabbed my stuff and together we left the timber yard.

“How is he doing?”

“He will recover. But slowly.” she answered with a tired look on her face.

“Poor boy.”

“I feel so sorry for him. He was muttering his girlfriends' name in his sleep. She never showed up to visit him. Not even once. He told me how much he loved her and how he wanted to marry her. But she declined because of his status.”

A bitter laugh escaped from my lips before I could stop it. "No good civilian girl would want to marry a bastard. Smart of her.”

My mom’s eyes widened. “Sora!”

“You know I don’t have anything against bastards. If it were up to me, they should have the same rights as the rest of us. But the reality of the matter is that marrying a bastard is one of the most harmful and stupid things you can do as a woman. It will only lead to heartbreak and instability. Especially if you want kids.”

Problematic laws and policies in Fire had led to non-marital children to be essentially paperless. Without documentation, these children were unable to access state services. That included getting married before the law.

To make things worse the mothers of these children, meanwhile, were subjected to social stigma and marginalization as these children didn’t have a father.

Non-marital children with had fathers who acknowledge them also faced some level of social stigma, but to a lesser degree. These children were able to be registered at birth. Women were unable to pass on citizenship, but men were. Kunoichi were also able to do so, but that was a completely different situation.

So basically if your partner was unwilling to step up, you were essentially screwed. Especially if you wanted to keep your child. Foundlings got granted documentation. But their documentation revealed that their parentage was unknown. And in a society that puts a high emphasis on bloodlines and family, that was a mark against you. Being called a bastard was the equivalent of mudblood for civilians.

“But if you truly love each other, there are ways.”

I smiled. My mother was a romantic at soul. Not to mention, an idealist.

“That is true.” I nodded. “You could get a citizen to acknowledge your child as your own. But Hibari-san is the son of a prostitute. And his father is an unknown foreigner.” I whispered as we walked next to a group of giggling schoolgirls. “That is a worse offense. His mother's profession… Well, people can turn a blind eye to it, but in a xenophobic society like this, the average civilian will hold it against them. Even a shinobi might not be so openminded.”

“You are right.”

“I wish I wasn’t. Truly.“

* * *

“Well… Well... Look who is back in my humble stall.” 

Sakura-obasan dropped the cloth she had in her hand, as I walked into the stall.

Her eyes narrowed. “I thought you would never visit my establishment again.”

I ignored her words. “I came here to apologize.”

“Did your mother talk some sense into you?”

I took a seat. “Not for my words, but the way I conveyed them. You are my elder and I should have never yelled. Even if I had a bad day. That is no excuse. I’m sorry.”

She remained silent and crossed her arms over her chest.

“That was not the only stupid thing I did that day.” I mentioned.

Sakura-obasan might be stubborn, but she was a curious person. Her interest was piqued. I could see it on her face.

“I sassed a shinobi. Me.” I jerked my thumb toward me. “I still can’t believe it.”

Her eyes widened in shock and she took a step forward. “You stupid, stupid girl. You were lucky nothing happened to you. Nothing happened to you?”

I leaned closer and shook my head. “No, she found me amusing. I was lucky. The whole incident gave me nightmares.”

I was serious. I’ve had the misfortune the stumble on the aftermath of a displeased shinobi before. Just after the war. The memory of it alone made me feel a little lightheaded.

Her brows drew together.

“So do you forgive me?”

“Do you hear any rumors circling about you hanging out with the boy?” she answered. “I made sure Hintaro kept his mouth shut.”

“Thank you. I just…”

“What?”

I hesitated. “It doesn’t make sense to me. Why do people treat that boy like that? He hasn't been the first one, and none of the others got this kind of treatment."

She looked surprised after I said that. “People are afraid. They are afraid he will turn like the others. From the other villages. In an uncontrolled killer. That is why they keep away from him. They fear for their families. We all know what happened that day. ”

“That doesn’t make sense to me. At all. We live in a shinobi village. We’ve all heard about the accidents random shinobi have caused. If a random shinobi has a single episode around you, you are out of luck. There is nothing special about Naruto. We are hopeless against all of them. So why does he get treated differently for it?”

A contemplative look appeared on her face. “That might be true, but why do you fear him?”

“I don’t fear him. I fear the attention it will bring us.”

**So, surprise another update! Quarantine has it perks apparently. **

**Also, this chapter might be a tad controversial among readers. Mostly because of Sora’s actions. The way she talked about marrying people who are not born in wedlock and don’t have any papers, and of course her apologizing to Sakura-obasan while the chapter before this she bravely defended Naruto against her. I hope you guys understand the reasoning behind this. **

**Last week I’ve been thinking about this story and the direction I’m taking it. Right now, what I’m doing (in my opinion you could think differently) is a slice of life kinda fic that explores (darker) themes about how life in Konoha could be. And I think I want to continue this and go deeper into it.**

**But I would like to hear from you guys. Which elements of the fic does appeal to you guys? And if like me, you like the exploration of themes what would you like to see explored in the future?**

**Also, what would you like to see more of in the future? Think interactions between Naruto and Sora, romance and etc. **

**Seeing people liked the poll during the last chapters: If you were in Konoha, what is definitely something you want to experience?**

**Personally, I would want to try Ichiraku Ramen out. Naruto talks so lovingly about it; it makes me wonder if it really is that good or the fact that people treated him so good made it good.**


	7. You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

A Kikaichū landed on my notebook. I dropped my pen and sighed. That could only mean one thing. Suddenly I spotted a silhouette sitting calmly next to me.

“And?” I asked and turned my head to stare at Muta Aburame.

I closed my notebook and leaned back in my chair. It’s not like I could write anymore.

“You didn’t visit the Temple today.” he evaded my question.

His eyes were obscured by his glasses, so I was unable to get a read on him. Not that I would have been able to anyway.

“I didn’t feel like it.” I answered honestly.

Today, the local Temple tested a young boy to see if he was reincarnated. And most importantly, if he still remembered. Reincarnated souls were not an oddity, but remembering it was. And the tests were accurate. I never was able to hide the truth. They knew right from the start. I was shocked when my mother absentmindedly mentioned it when I was still a child.

The only thing I could be happy was, was that I was born into a sect. Those were words I thought I would never utter. Most people thought we're a bunch of crackpots and I wasn’t planning to change their perception on this. It granted me safety. And who would have believed me anyway? Thank God, they didn’t consider us to Chosen Ones. Unlike that offshoot group located right outside Kiri. Those people were nuts.

He hummed. “You change your mind frequently.”

I lifted my eyebrow. “I know.”

The fact that I never had to hide myself from my mother was a big relief. I would’ve never told her otherwise and that would have strained our relationship. But that didn’t mean that I wanted someone to end up here like me. I didn’t want to be reminded of what I lost.

That was a lie. I stared at my hands as I twisted the golden bracelets around my left wrist.

Deep in my heart, I sometimes wished that there was someone who would understand me. Like truly understand me.

Muta sighed. “Are you unhappy?”

“With my life? No.” I swallowed the large lump that had formed in my throat. “My life isn’t bad. But deep in my heart, I sometimes wish that there was someone who would understand me. Like truly understand me.”

“We are the same. You can talk to me. I know we are not close, but I consider you a friend.”

“We are the same, but also different. Life is not that much different compared to the Warring Era. Things have only turned better… Also, you can see your family each day. And I can’t. They are here.” My voice cracked.

“The Hyūga were never much of a family.” he said darkly. “Not like yours. You never talk about your old life. About life before the Sage.”

“With life? No.” I stared at the table. “I don’t have a bad life. It’s just not my life. I miss home. I miss my family. I miss everything. Even being stuck in traffic for hours.” I chuckled. “But you wouldn’t understand what I mean with that anyway. I just… I don’t think it will over go away, but there are some moments I just feel it more deeply.”

“It’s different. I miss home. I miss my family. I miss everything. But I believe its better not too reminisce too much. I can never have that back. And it makes me feel ungrateful.”

“You have suffered.”

I shook my head. “Hardly. It’s nothing. Immigrants do it all the time. There are worse things in life.”

“Yours was abruptly.”

“So was yours. But still it’s not an excuse. How many people didn’t have to uproot their lives throughout history? Yet, I’m uncapable of it. Sometimes I wonder if I’m broken. Too stuck in my old ways.”

“You are only…”

“Civilian.” I interrupted him.

His shoulders sagged.

“You never answered my question.”

“No, and yes. His soul is an old one. But he has no memories.”

“His parents must be pleased.”

“Aren’t they always.” he smiled wryly.

* * *

I’ll be honest when I saw Mikoto Uchiha in the Anime, I kinda thought she looked like basic. I’m not saying she was ugly, but she was definitely not part of my top 10 attractive female characters in Naruto. Unlike her male clansmen. Madara. Shisui. Older Shisui, not the baby Shisui I sometimes see accompanying the Uchiha Police Force in their patrols.

I thought she was underwhelming. Surprisingly so.

The first time I saw her in person my jaw literally dropped. When she walks by everyone’s head turns. She’s that kind of person.

11/10.

From the corner of my eye, I saw her elegantly walk by while I lugged the grocery bags. Drops of sweat trickled down my face and my hair was frizzy. Her back was beautifully straight, and she never turned her head even though she could clearly hear people whispering about her.

Damn, she was goals. Was there some Chakra trick that allowed you like that even though it’s scorching hot outside?

One of the greatest mysteries in my life was how Fugaku was able to marry a woman like that.

“Sora-chan.”

Speak of the devil.

I turned around. Fugaku’ eyes twinkled, as he held three large shopping bags in his hands.

“Hello Uchiha-sama, busy day shopping?”

A sheepish smile tugged the corners of his lips. “My wife, yes.”

I nodded impressed. She had him completely whipped. “Good for her.”

“Do you need help?” He glanced at my hands.

I shook my head. “Not at all. I can handle it on my own.”

His face changed as he looked behind me. It became softer. I turned around and saw Mikoto Uchiha looming closer.

“You remember Sora-chan, don’t you?” he called out.

Confused I knitted my eyebrows, as I tried to recall a memory of meeting her in person. I definitely wouldn’t forget about that.

A charming smile appeared on her face. “Yes, I do. You wouldn’t remember it, but we met when you were still a baby. My husband used to babysit you.”

My eyes widened and I took a step backwards. “You used to babysit me?”

“Sometimes. When the hospital was understaffed during the war and there was no one else.”

He shifted the bags to one hand. He leaned forward and grabbed my bags in his other hand. From the corner of my eyes, I could see people looking appealed in our direction. I straightened my back. The tide had already started to shift. The people were not as kind to the Uchiha as they used to be.

“Thank you.” I said gratefully.

He nodded his head, as we walked.

“I didn’t know you knew my mother that long?”

“Oh yes, I know her since she was a young girl.”

“The old Uchiha compound was not too far from where your grandparents used to reside.” Mikoto added. “How is Azami-san doing?”

“She’s fine, but busy. She’s currently making a house call at a farm just outside the borders of the village.”

“Nothing too serious I hope?” Fugaku glanced at me.

I shook my head. “Only a delivery. If everything goes according to schedule, she will be back tomorrow morning.”

“Are you staying alone?” Mikoto cocked her head, surprised.

It was ridiculous. Children could become ninja at a young age. But there was this unspoken rule that civilian women, who still had living family, couldn’t stay alone at home without a chaperone. Even for one night. It was not done. Sleeping somewhere else. Yes. But staying home alone. No, that was horrifying.

“No, I will be staying with my father today.” I answered carefully.

Fugaku’s face soured. He never hide his dislike for my father. I honestly couldn’t blame him.

Mikoto carefully smiled and changed the subject.

* * *

Sometimes I truly hated my father. He was a pig. I scrubbed the toilet seat, while he was lounging around in the living room. He was tired. Or that is what the claimed. Two weeks ago, he returned from his mission. And he hasn’t cleaned his house once.

Asshole.

Frustrated, I stood up and walked into the large kitchen. It was a mess. Everything was a mess.

Horrified I looked into the fridge. “Maybe you could help me out?” I screamed. I almost barfed when I threw out a completely covered in mold item. I’m pretty sure it was a tomato by the shape of it.

“You like cleaning. I would only get in the way.” he drawled.

I narrowed my eyes. “I hate cleaning.”

“Then why are you always cleaning when you visit?”

Maybe because you are disgusting. Frustrated I bit my lip to keep myself from blurting that out.

“Because you are a slob.”

“I’ve not had any women complain. And plenty have visited.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t want to hear about your conquests.”

“It’s natural. I’m a man. I have needs.”

I grabbed the trash bags and put them in the bin.

“I know. But I still don’t want to hear about it. When you date someone serious, you can tell me about it.”

I walked into the living room. My father was lazing around on the couch. He was twirling a cigarette in his hand.

“I’ve not been in any since the divorce. Is your mother seeing anyone?”

He looked up. His green eyes looked curious at me.

“No.” I answered truthfully.

“Nineteen years is a long time to be single. I couldn’t do it.” he answered a bit impressed.

I glared at my lap. Every child was born with two parents, but what was sad was that sometimes only one of them made all the sacrifices. He was a deadbeat father. And looking at his behavior I couldn’t blame my mother for divorcing him when she was still pregnant with me. It might have been a big societal taboo, but she definitely made the right decision. 100%

If it were up to me, I would go no contact. But I didn’t want to break my mother’s heart. I only did it for her.

“How about you?”

I looked up. He lit up his cigarette with his finger and inhaled.

I rubbed my temples. “What about me?”

“Are you seeing anyone?”

“No.”

An amused look appeared on his face. “No one wants a woman past the freshness of her youth. And you are getting there.”

“I’m focusing on my career.” I answered sugar sweet. “I don’t want to settle down yet.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Your career?” he laughed. “It’s not like you are a kunoichi. Don’t be so picky and settle down.”

‘And maybe you should act like your age.’ I thought bitterly. Man-child. 

He looked bemused. “Surely, you are not offended. If I’m not honest with you, no one else will be.”

I forced a smile on my face. “Of course not, father. I know that”

He didn’t deserve that title. I had three parents in my life. My previous parents and my mother. He couldn’t hold a candle to my real father.

* * *

**Guess who updated? Me!**

**First, I want to thank everyone who has taken time to review. I’ve reread your reviews several times these last couple of weeks. They truly spark joy. Also, I posted this fic on ff.net. So, if you prefer ff.net. You can check it out there. **

**Another thing, it’s late right now and I have to go to bed. So if you guys see any mistakes. You know why. You would see them regardless. As I’m not a native speaker. I probably need a beta. Not only for grammar, but like in general. LOL**

**We haven’t seen little Naruto in a while, so you guys will probably see him the next chapter. I can’t make any promises though.**

**But I included Fugaku. Can you believe he voluntarily babysit for Azami? I didn’t. Neither did Sora.**

**Seeing people liked the poll during the last chapters: Which Naruto character do you think is completely underrated in the fandom?**

**Well for me personally. Almost all of them. But if I have to be more specific. Yamato and Sai. They were part of team 7. But it’s like everyone forgets that. Considering their role. You would think you would find more content about them.**

**I should shut up. I’m going to bed. Have fun reading this!**


	8. Exhaust the little moment / Soon it dies.

“What’s that book in your bag?” Yone asked me with a curious look in her dark eyes.

I put my cup of tea on the table and looked mischievously at her. “You honestly do not want to know.” I grinned.

And I was dead serious about that. Yone was a too proper lady for the filth in my bag.

“Do you have a new suggestion for our next session, Sora-chan?” Kayo called from across the room.

The ladies of the book club glanced at me. I tried to contain my laughter, but I failed. The ladies of the book club were a curious and adventurous bunch. We read all sort of books here. Even the ones not strictly legal in the country of Fire. But our association with the Temple protected us from too much oversight about that. But this series would be too much for them.

I tried to straighten my face. “If you are interested in latest version of Icha Icha, I will not stop you guys.”

It felt as if a dam burst open. One of the ladies gasped and the tips of Yone’s ears turned pink. No one in the room knew what they were supposed to do after that revelation. On the outside I was calm, but on the inside, I enjoyed the chaos this statement caused.

“I guess not. “I said, trying to break to silence that occurred. 

Binko leaned forward her. Her eyes were big. “You read that?”

“You know I love to read. And what’s wrong with romance anyway.”

“But isn’t it a bit indecent.” Kayo-san whispered.

“No one can hear you. No need to whisper.” I whispered back. And it was true, this section of the temple was solely reserved for our book club. The others were not a fan of the regular intense discussions or laughter that occurred in these rooms and could be heard from the outside. 

The ladies laughed nervously. 

“It is a bit indecent.” I admitted. At least for Konoha’s standard, I read worse in my fanfiction years. Way worse. But they didn’t need to know that. “But that’s the fun of it. It’s not a masterpiece by any sense. But it’s lighthearted and cheesy, and sometimes I’m in the mood for light fare like this.”

“But what about the?” Yone drummed her fingers on the table.

“The throbbing manhood’s and heaving bosoms?”

She blushed again.

“There are some scenes of those in the books. But not as many as you would think. Surprisingly enough, the book is more of a cheesy romance. It reminded me of that one book we read a couple of months ago. Wallflower, blooming.” I leaned back in my chair. “And to be fair, all of you ladies are married. If someone should be blushing it should be me.”

One of the grannies took a sip of her tea and shook her head in amusement. “The audacity of today’s youth.”

“I’m not the youngest here.” I pointed out, after I took a bite from one of the small chocolate cakes. “Binko-san and Saya-san are younger.”

“But they are married.” She retorted lightheartedly like that explained everything. And for them it did.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “So, does anyone want to check it out or will we continue our discussion?”

The ladies nodded eagerly. Color me surprise. They were ready for it. I grabbed the book from my bag and put it on the middle of the table. I grabbed another piece of cake and took a seat. Several ladies were crouching down to get a look at the book.

Chuckling, I started a conversation with my neighbor about the upcoming civilian council elections.

* * *

I wrapped my fur cloak around me and closed the door behind me. In the hall Binko was waiting for me. She leaned against the stone wall as she was eagerly reading my copy of Icha Icha. I called her name, but she didn’t hear me. I grabbed her by her arm and she looked up.

“Sora-chan, do you have a moment for me?” I heard a voice call from the other side of the hall.

Binko dropped the book and I turned around to see Kono Terukane walking towards us. His bald head glittered under the lamp. Behind me I heard shuffling and I knew Binko was hiding the book in her bag. And I completely understood why. A ninja monk was the last person I wanted to be caught by reading a trashy book like this.

“Of course, I have some time for you.” I answered politely, if not a bit confused.

“Should I wait for you?” Binko asked.

I turned around and shook my head. “Your husband is waiting for you. Just hand my belongings to my mother on the way back home.” I glanced at her and she smiled sheepishly.

She bowed before Terukane, before hurrying down the hall. We watched her departure.

“How can I help you today?”

“Your seal is starting to waiver.” He glanced at my heart. I clutched the fabric above it.

“Do you think others-?”

“No, only the monks at the temple would be able to notice something odd. We are still on time.”

I sighed. “It gets quicker and quicker.”

“Yes.” He nodded as we walked down the hallway. “The sooner we get to your death day, the more often you have to reseal it. But you are making some great progress on learning how to do it yourself. Better than I expected considering.”

“Considering I’m not a ninja.”

He chuckled. “No considering how busy you are. I didn’t think you have much time studying.”

“For this I make time, especially considering the complexity of the subject.”

“You shouldn’t overwork yourself. Know where you're going, but also enjoy the journey.”

He opened the door of the sealing chamber for me and I walked in. I took a seat in the middle of the room, while he grabbed the necessary supplies for our ritual. I opened the buttons on my blouse and glanced at the dark markings on my pale skin. The seal itself was small and inconspicuous. Surrounding it was a dark tattoo, that looked like a seal but wasn’t one. I had the monks design one to my liking.

Its purpose wasn’t only practical, but it also honored my heritage. My fingers lingered almost unconsciously on the familiar markings. The old tradition of tattooing had faded with my generation. Even my grandmother’s generation. But as a young girl I used to admire the tattoos elderly Amazigh ladies had on their face and other parts of their bodies.

In previous generations women marked their bodies with these tattoos for beautification, health and protection. And if I had to put a decoy sealing tattoo on my body, I wanted something to honor that. It protected me like it did the women in previous generations.

“Are you ready?” Terukane asked as he held the ritual dagger above my heart.

I took a quick breath and nodded. He plunged it in in my skin and I winced. His body trembled in fear as he felt my chakra emerge from the sealing. I could feel its taste on my tongue. Death. 

* * *

**This chapter is a real short one, but I thought you guys would be happier after such a long time than not updating at all. I’m currently really busy, so I have barely any time to write or even read. So, I quickly wrote this for you guys in the short amount of time I had today. I kinda promised Naruto in this chapter, but it didn’t happen. We are going to hear soon from him though.**

**My character is staying a civilian. I just think getting reincarnated would come with some side effects. **

**Seeing people liked the poll during the last chapters: How many of you would try out Icha Icha if you were in Naruto?**

**Honestly, it doesn’t seem the type of book I would really enjoy. But as a big bookworm, I probably wouldn’t have a lot books to read. Literature seems kinda limited there. So, you would have to try it once at least out of sheer boredom. **


	9. Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides.

With a frown, I was looking at the paper I was writing that focused on the high maternal mortality rate in the Old District next to the old Hatake compound. Most specifically on whether foreign intervention had caused the rate to rise sky high. I dropped my pen and rubbed my forehead, hoping it would decrease my migraine. It didn’t

According to my research, there was a negative relationship between both variables. Yes, there had been an underground spy network active in the area. Remnants of the Second War. But they were not to blame for this issue. The issue was poverty.

But that was not what they would want to hear from me. Or should I say Kitano. I stood up and walked towards Kitano’s office. I knocked on the door and opened it. Kitano was furiously scribing in his notebook. He looked up and signaled that I should wait for a few moments.

I sighed and took a seat before his desk.

“Are you done?” he looked up from his notebook.

I shook my head. “I’m stuck.”

He frowned. “What do you mean? Do you need more information? Those files are classified and it will be a hassle to get them.”

“No, it isn’t that.” I bit my lip and looked at my lap. “There isn’t a correlation between their presence and the high maternal mortality rate.”

“Have you calculated?”

“Multiple times.” I interrupted him. “And in several different ways. They are not the cause of this.”

He tensed up. “Are you sure? They will not be pleased.”

I raised my eyebrow. “They would be less pleased if we lied and the problem continued. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t absolutely sure.”

He gazed at me with a stern look on his face. “Do you know what is causing this?”

“I believe it’s poverty. And most specifically the lack of education of women in the district. Almost 95% of the women in the district are illiterate.”

Education was not a given in Konoha. Especially for women. That’s why the ninja path was so appealing for many. It granted them opportunities that they didn’t have before.

“I see.”

He sounded confused.

“I’ve compared the numbers with the other districts. The Old district used to be a solid middle-class district. But this changed after the Third War. The district was almost completely destroyed. All families, who could afford to leave, left. The nature of the district changed.” I started explaining as I handed him my papers.

“What does that mean?” he pointed at one of the graphs.

“It means that if we were to compare this district with the other more wealthier districts, the maternal maternity rate would be in the top 1%. But if we’d compare this district to districts with a similar income level, they are in just below median. We’ve been looking at this issue the wrong way. The fact the Kumo spy network had been discovered there is a coincidence.”

“That’s interesting. Really interesting.” He nodded. “How did you even get the idea to compare these numbers?”

My previous education.

“I’m smarter than I look.” I answered dryly. “Don’t underestimate me.”

He chuckled. “I’ll sent it to the council. They will be relieved its nothing important.”

I smiled politely, but on the inside my rage started to grow. He was right. I knew that. But hearing it put so bluntly made me angry. I took a big breath and contemplated whether I wanted to risk mentioning my suggestion.

“There might be a way to fix the issue.”

He raised his eyebrow. “Girls education?”

“Yes, if the council invested a bit more.”

“They will not.” he interrupted me. “Don’t be ridiculous. You know that.”

“Yes.” I took a big breath. “But if they increased the school leaving age with even one year to 7 years old, there would be a decrease of approximately 3.2%.”

He looked bored.

“Which would lead to an increase 0.8% of new shinobi enrollments in the Old District. It would lead to an increase of 3.2% on a larger level.”

His interest was awakened. And I pushed away the feeling of bitterness that started to appear. I could do something good. Finally. And I needed to seize this opportunity to not only to reduce the inequality levels, but also give the girls in Konoha more opportunities. Even one girl saved from poverty would be a win in my eyes. 

I pointed at one of the tables. “If you look at the numbers there, you can see what the impact the increase of the school leaving age for each additional year would be on the shinobi enrollment. The percentages are conservative. So, in real life the numbers would be much higher.” I grabbed another page and showed it to Kitano. “Here, you can see what the impact would be on the budget.”

He studied the numbers. “An increase to nine years old would lead to an increase of 21.5%. The council would be really interested in this. Very interested.”

He grabbed my papers and stood up. He pushed his hair back. “I want you to go through all of this with me. So, I can present these findings to the council before the end of this week.”

“Of course, Kitano.” I smiled brightly.

* * *

Absentmindedly, I rolled the library cart into the next corner. Shocked, I stopped in the face of shocking blonde hair and a big grin.

“Naruto?” I blurted out. “What are you doing here?”

His grin started to diminish.

“Not that I’m not pleased to see you.” I hurriedly added. “Do you need some books or are you here to see me?” I teased him.

“I need some books.” He smiled, while looking at his feet.

My heart skipped a beat. He was so cute. And such a big liar. Naruto in a library? Yeah, right.

“It’s not that I’m not happy to see you darling. But I think you are a bit to young for the books here. Only students at the academy are allowed to visit this library.”

“I’m a student!”

I stared at him confused. “How old are you?”

“I’m almost 6 years old.” He said as he held 5 fingers up.

My heart sank to the pit of my stomach when I heard that. I had hoped he looked younger than he actually was, but this was even worse. He shouldn’t be at the academy at all at that age. It was stupid. Reckless. Konoha.

“Wow, you must be really smart.” I said instead. “Are you here to study?”

His face turned red and the smile on his face brightened. He nodded shyly. I couldn’t help smiling back.

“Want me to help you look for some books?”

“Can you really, nee-san?”

“Of course, I can. That’s my job. Let me put these books away and I’ll help you. Okay?”

“Okay.” He nodded.

He followed me as I walked further into the library. When I reached my stop, I started to re-shelf the books. And Naruto stared at me curiously. He handed me the last book on the library cart. I smiled him and thanked him.

Together we walked towards the academy level section of the library.

“Do you do this the whole day?” he asked me curious.

“Yeah, but I also do other things here. I help visitors, make sure we have new books and help the shinobi’s working here.”

He mumbled something.

“Could you repeat that, darling? I couldn’t hear you.”

“That seems boring.” he said softly.

I laughed surprised. I could see why he would think that.

“I really like it. I’m surrounded by so many books. I love books.”

He gave me a disbelieving look.

“Don’t you like to read?” I asked curiously.

He shook his head. “Does that make you mad?”

“No, of course not.” I answered softly and put my hand on his shoulder. “People like all different things. I like to read. And you like to?”

“Plants.”

“Plants.” I repeated, as I raked my fingers through his hair. “That’s a good hobby.”

He leaned into my touch, as I rested my hand once again on his shoulder.

“It would be really boring if we all liked the same things. Here we go. What book are you looking for?”

He grabbed a paper from his pocket and glared at it. I kneeled down and moved my head to read the paper he held in his hand.

“Don’t you like history class?”

“I don’t hate it, but sometimes it’s really hard reading the letters on the board.” he admitted as he looked the other way. “I’m not stupid.”

I frowned after this confession “Of course, you are not stupid. Naruto, is it too far away?”

He shook his head. Shocked, I started to understand what he meant.

“Do you find it difficult to read?”

His eyes started to redden.

“There is nothing wrong with that. Is your teacher helping you with that?” I tried to salvage the moment.

He shook his head and looked at his shoes. “Does your teacher know this?”

“Yes.”

An awkward silence occurred. Sure, I had read the fanfictions about this before. But that was fanfiction. And this was reality. How could they do this to him? I started to think of potential solutions, when it suddenly occurred to me.

“I can help you with that.”

He looked at me surprised. “You can?”

“Yes, reading is awesome. Of course, I’ll help you. Let me get my coat. Can you wait at the entrance for me?”

He nodded and I quickly walked to Kitano’s office to let him know I would be gone for a short while. He nodded his head and continued with his research. I grabbed my coat and walked towards the entrance. I was lucky Kitano wasn’t too difficult. Then again, I made his life easier since I worked there. He had more time to research. And I made more than I would at another job.

Naruto was waiting at the entrance for me. He was wearing a blue jacket and waved when he saw me.

“Good. Are you ready?”

He nodded. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” I answered as we walked towards our destination. Two blocks away from the library was what I would describe as a shinobi preparatory school. Children, from less fortunate backgrounds, who choose to join the academy were sent to this school to make sure they knew their essentials in order to join the academy. Students who knew their essentials would lead to better educated shinobi’s. Better educated shinobi would lead to a lower casualty rate. Nothing was done here without a purpose.

Most importantly, they were not allowed to decline any student. It was a criminal offence. Reassured by that thought, we walked into the school yard. I opened the door and Naruto quietly followed me. At the desk, an older lady with cat green eyes watched me approach.

“Can I help you?” she asked bored,

“Yes, hello. I work at the library and found out that one of the academy students could use some extra help.” I nodded towards Naruto.

Her face paled as she realized he was standing next to me.

“Let me get my supervisor.” she said weakly and hurried away.

A few moments later, an aggravated looking chunin walked towards me.

“Hello, I’m”

“I told Kagae Sanesada we wanted nothing to do with him.” he spit in my face.

“Who?”

The look on his face sent a shiver over my spine.

“My guardian.” I could hear Naruto whisper as he stood closer to me and grabbed my dark dress.

I focused my gaze on his chest and tried to make myself look as least threatening as possible.

“My apologies, I didn’t realize.”

“Are you stupid or do you only look stupid!” he interrupted me.

I swallowed and didn’t answer.

“Answer me!”

“What’s going on here?” I heard someone drawl behind us.

“This girl.”

The person behind me suddenly was in front of me. I could see spiky dark hair and a sea green jacket. I pushed Naruto behind me. I felt him tremble behind me.

“Are you threatening a civilian and him, Terukore?”

A civilian born shinobi. That explained it all.

“No, of course not Aburame-san.”

“Go.”

The shinobi hit me with his shoulder as he walked away. I flinched.

The Aburame turned his attention to me. “I couldn’t help overhear your conversation. And Uzumaki-san, of course, has a place with our school. But you are?”

“I’m just a librarian. I discovered today Uzumaki-san is facing some difficulties and decided to do my civic duty.”

“I see. You are friends with Muta.”

“Cousins, actually. Distant ones.” I answered as I tentatively looked up.

His face was blank.

“Naruto, you can go with this nice gentleman.”

Naruto appeared from behind me and stared at me with big eyes. “Are you sure?” he whispered.

I nodded and forced a smile on my face. “Go ahead.”

He wouldn’t harm him. But meanwhile, I was in deep problems.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, I knocked on the office door. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my heart down after I rushed here.

“Come in.” I heard a familiar voice say.

I pushed the door open and Fugaku stared surprised at me.

“Sora-chan, I didn’t expect to see you here. Is everything okay?”

“I would like to report a crime at the pre-academy. I tried to enroll Uzumaki Naruto there and faced some difficulties.”

His face turned blank. “The death penalty is the punishment for those who would intervene with the education of our shinobi’s.”

“I’m aware. Could you handle this discreetly?”

He nodded. “Take a seat, please. Tell me what happened.”

Threatening me? Checkmate, motherfuckers.

* * *

**I had some extra time and decided to write again. Surprised I updated twice this week? Yes, so am I. Here is the promised interaction with Naruto. Well if she knew that would have helped, she wouldn’t have helped at all. **

**That last scene might be a bit cold and off-putting to people. But I try to be more realistic at times with this story.**

**Seeing people appreciate the questions. I have two questions for you guys.**

  * **What do you guys think of Sora? Think of stuff like: Would she be the type of person you would want to be friends with? What do you like and dislike about her? What would you like to know more about her? And etc. It’s a really open question**
  * **And the real question: Who is your favorite character in this story so far?**

**I know a lot of people adore Fugaku ‘the feminist’ Uchiha. And honestly, I also have a major soft spot for him. **

**Also on small other comment from me. Sometimes I see in reviews that people didn't really dare or felt uncomfortable leaving a review because they are not a native speaker. But neither am I. I love reviews. They make me happy. So don't let that, or anything else, hold you back from leaving a review.**


	10. Everything you can imagine is real.

“Your latest work has been really unexpected.” Hiroyuki nodded his head. “Are you sure you don’t want to sell it to one of our other writers?”

I pursed my mouth. “You know I refuse to sell my work to others. Even if it might lead to more income. These are my stories. What did they offer you this time?”

His eyes sparkled. “Artistic integrity. If only more were like that. Nothing, you need to worry about. “He wrote something down in his notebook. “It doesn’t fit in with your usual work. I love it. Don’t get me wrong.”

“How so?” I asked confused. “We’ve been working together for years. I’ve published all my work here. All of them are different. The only communalities between them are probably an element of fantasy and/or the supernatural, an overfocus on worldbuilding and the human element.” I smirked.

“Yes.” he nodded and rubbed his hands together. “But this time you’ve taken a completely different approach to the human element. Your characters are varied. Not a single one is the same. That is true.” He leaned forward. “Unlike many others, you tend to be grittier and realistic in your characterization. I personally love it. Your characters are not perfect beacons of humanity and decency. They are flawed and real. And that makes them even more perfect. Because your readers can see themselves in them.”

“So, what did I do different this time?” I asked surprised. “Solas is a completely flawed character. Like all the others I’ve wrote. Probably even more so. He is capable of so much good, but he has also done so many horrible things in a quest he believes is just. I don’t often focus on the villain of the story-“

“I’m not saying that. I agree. You are a phenomenal writer. Sometimes I just want to take a peek into your head to see where all these ideas come from. But unlike all your characters, including the ones that are non-human, he is the first character that doesn’t see the other characters as real people. Even later one in your story, he doesn’t fully see the others as completely real.” He shook his head in amazement. “And you’ve never done that before. The very idea is revolutionary and terrifying. I think your readers will enjoy this new approach, but don’t do it too often. “

My heart sank to my stomach. The face of Terukore appeared before my eyes. Is it?

* * *

“How was your meeting?” My mom kissed me on my cheek as I walked in the kitchen. She was standing at the stove with a soup ladle in her hand.

“It was fine.”

“You don’t sound fine. Did he not like your newest work?”

“He did.” I answered as I took a seat at the kitchen table. “We made a schedule for the next year. We are going to publish a book each month. As they currently have 15 books they can publish and the people at the top have been pleased with the sales. That means we can speed up the process of buying a second house. In Kumo, my books are starting to sell more than before. They are becoming popular in the smaller cities, which means that I’ll probably get more royalties.”

We’d probably be able to buy a new house within the next four months if my predications held true. Each book I sold gave me approximately 5 or 6 months of my regular income at the library. The legal part that is. Not the extra Kitano gave me for the not so legal side of my job.

My mother took a seat before me and stared at me intensely. “And yet you still sound off. You should be celebrating Did something happen?” she sounded worried.

I shook my head and thought carefully about my words. “Hiroyuki, he said something. Kaa-san, do you think I’m a bad person?”

Her face turned red. “Did he imply that?”

“No! He didn’t. He said something about my new character and it struck a chord with me.”

“Oh.”

I could see that she was curious, but that she didn’t want to push me.

“He said that my new character doesn’t see other people as real people and that that is terrifying.”

“Why did that impact you, darling?”

I started to fumble with my golden bracelets. “I don’t either. I don’t always see other people as real people. Sometimes, I don’t see this life as real and I… I don’t react as a normal person should. That shinobi Terukore. What I did. That isn’t normal.” I admitted with a heavy sigh.

My mother grasped my hand and squeezed it. “Sora, I’m not sure how I can comfort you. But you did nothing wrong.”

I felt tears slipping from my eyes. “I didn’t even cry about it. Right now, I’m only crying because I think there is something wrong with me. I was anxious about the situation. Anxious that he would hear about it and hurt us. Hurt you and Naruto. But not once did I think about him and what could possibly happen to him. It was three days ago and I just continued my life like nothing happened. Sure, that Fugaku could handle it on his own. That isn’t normal. It isn’t”

“That’s not true, sweety. You’ve barely left the house. You’ve been only writing. You have been so gloomy. The whole situation has impacted you a lot.”

“How is that different from my normal life?” I joked, while wiping away the tears on my face.

“Sora, there is nothing wrong with you. Your first reaction was keeping others safe. Not yourself. If you didn’t see other people as humans, that thought wouldn’t have crossed your mind. At all. You protected yourself. And you protected us. There is nothing wrong with that.”

“But I didn’t think about him. Or his loved ones.”

“Sora, this isn’t your old life. We live in a society ruled by shinobi’s, nobles and samurai. In this society, this is the correct human reaction. Otherwise, it could have led to worse. You’ve assimilated. Don’t look at your actions or the actions of others with glasses of your old life on your nose. That is the way to madness.”

She held me against her chest and I leaned forward. The smell of sakura flowers and herbs comforted me.

“I…”

“If it happened to me and I reacted like that would you think I was a monster?”

“No! Not at all. It was the sensible thing to do.”

“Then why do you make it harder for yourself? You should hold yourself to the same standards as you hold others.”

“That’s easy to say.”

“I never said it would be easy. The important things in life never are.”

“I think it’s difficult for me, as I never had any closure. I still don’t know happened. Fugaku only mentioned it was handled. But I don’t know what happened to him.”

“And you’ll never will. Don’t drive yourself crazy with those thoughts. Feeling upset about this is completely normal. But don’t drown in it. Be the strong Sora I know you are.”

* * *

“So, I have some good news.”

I looked up from the book in my hand. “What?” I asked annoyed.

Kitano stared at me with an amused look on his face. “I have some good news.”

“I heard you the first time. What is it?”

He tsk’ed. “Sometimes you can be so rude.”

“I was reading and I was at the good part. Tell me what it is or leave me to my book.”

“Well, your little plan worked.”

My eyebrows went up in confusion. “What little plan? Are we getting better fiction books than the nationalistic drivel we have here?”

“Where is your patriotism?”

“It vanished after reading the crap they produce at the Court and which they proclaim to be literature.”

“That’s fair enough.” he nodded. “But it’s not that.”

“Well what it then?”

“I had an interesting presentation for the House of Peers and the Council today.”

“Oh.” I said intrigued.

Konoha has an interesting political system. It was closer to a stratocracy than an outright military dictatorship.

The state and the shinobi force were essentially the same entity. All government positions were occupied by shinobi. The Hokage was basically the CEO of the village with the Konoha council as his board of directors. All high-level shinobi positions were appointed by the Hokage and the Konoha Council. These were the facts that I was aware of before I ended up here. But things were a bit more complex in reality.

There were three other important entities within the government. There was the House of Peers. The shinobi clan heads were part of this House. They held a strategic and legislature function within the government. All shinobi clans were allowed to send a representative. Most sent their clan head. Members of the House of Peers were not allowed to be part of the other houses. Unless they send a representative to the House of Peers instead.

The second most important house was the House of Councilors. These were the chosen representators of the shinobi force. They represented them in the open sessions of the House of Peers.

There was also the House of Konoha, otherwise known as the Civilian council. Like the other Houses, they held a strategic and legislature function within the government. But on a municipal/civilian level. They had no say on shinobi business. But they had a slight influence on the Academy and he Pre-academy.

The Yumeshi religious sect, which my mom and I were part of, was not officially a clan. At least not in the same way the Uchiha and the Aburame were. We were not part of the same extended family. We were more of a small ethnic group or a collection of families. But when we were asked to join the village, we joined as a clan as that increased our power. So ‘our clan’ had a representative in the House of Peers. Like all the others.

“About your proposal to increase the school leaving age.”

Shocked, I dropped the book in my hand. My heart started to beat faster.

“Now you are finally interested.” his grin widened.

“What did they say?”

“Well they aren’t going to increase the age to nine years old. Not immediately yet. They have decided to increase it to eight years old instead. And if the next ten years, the effect is big enough they will increase it to ten years old. Congratulations.” He smiled sincerely.

“I don’t know what to say.” I mumbled.

“See I told you I was smarter than I looked, perhaps.” he mimicked me in good humor. “I mean it. I’m really happy they implemented it. Don’t look so surprised. I’m a scientist first. More education will only better our society. I only never thought they would implement something like this. But you found a way to make them do it.”

“I don’t know what to say.” I smiled. “I can’t believe it. Thank you, Kitano. This could never have worked without you”

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t become sentimental on me. I didn’t do a thing. It was all you.”

* * *

“Sora.” I heard a familiar voice say.

I looked up from my bed and saw Muta standing outside of my window. I walked towards the window and opened it.

“You do realize we have a good functioning door downstairs.”

His mouth twitched.

“How are you doing? I didn’t know you were back in the village.”

“I arrived yesterday. But I’m not here for pleasantries.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, the monks have heard about the ordeal at the pre-academy.”

“I notified them myself.”

“Only after you went to the Uchiha clan head.” His tone sounded judgmental.

“What about it? I went to them afterwards.”

“Did you not think they were capable of helping you?”

“No, of course not. I didn’t-”

“But, yet your first instinct was not to go to them. Don’t get me wrong, Sora. You did what you thought was necessary. But it isn’t a good look. The Yumeshi should be the first people you should have thought about. But you didn’t.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Dan has summoned you. He thinks it would be best if you spend more time at the shrine and the compound.”

“I’m busy. I have work, my books…”

“The incident has reached the ears of the Council. Dan believes it would be better for you to be close by. At least till something new happens. It’s better to be safe than sorry.” he said, before jumping out of my room.

Fuck. What did that mean?

* * *

**I honestly wrote this bit in a rush. Like usually it’s not beta’ed so there are probably many mistakes in it. But hey new chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I was thinking about my summary and I was wondering whether it was still appropriate. I don’t dislike my summary, but I’m not sure it’s still the right fit wit this story. I mean I do discuss a lot of dark things in this fic. What do you guys think? Is it still appropriate? Would it give people the right impression of this fic or should I change it? **

**I can’t believe I reached chapter 10. That’s a milestone for me. I thought I was incapable of writing longer fics with more than 1 chapter tbh. So well done me.**

**Seeing people like the questions, here is a question for you. If you were reincarnated in Naruto, but you were not allowed to live in Konoha, what place would you choose to get reincarnated? **

**I’ll go for something wild and say one of the Samurai cities. Things are probably way safer in the land of Iron than the other nations. But that could be hopeful wishing. **


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